Empirical and Theoretical Developments on Eudaimonia and Hedonia

The lecture by Veronica Huta, the Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa.

You can find a summary of the main positions that have been set forth by the author below.

Presentation (PPTX, 123 Kb) 

Definition Categories Identified in Eudaimonic-Hedonic the Literature

•      ORIENTATIONS: priorities, motives, values, goals

•      BEHAVIORS: specific activities

•      EXPERIENCES: emotions, feelings, appraisals

•      FUNCTIONING: abilities, achievements, habits, character strengths

 

Our Lab Focuses Primarily on Orientations

•      Eudaimonia & hedonia primarily defined as orientations

•      Assessed using HEMA-RX (Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities – Revised and Expanded) (Huta & Ryan, 2010) (revision unpublished)

•      But all four definition categories viewed as necessary for complete picture

•       Reasons for making orientations primary:

•      Why not behaviors?

•      Two people can do the same behavior for very different motives

•      Why not experiences or functioning?

•      Experiences & functioning less under our direct control than orientations/behaviors

•      There is a much clearer distinction between hedonia & eudaimonia in orientations & behaviors, than in experiences & functioning

•      Seems fairer to characterize a person’s life in terms of their efforts, not successes

•      Emphasize defining eudaimonia & hedonia in parallel terms, to permit direct empirical comparison

•      At same time, acknowledge conceptually that eudaimonia focuses more on quality of process, hedonia focuses more on outcome

 

Definition Contents Currently Used in Our Lab, With Facets and Sub-facets

•       Eudaimonic orientationis prioritizing:

•      Authenticity

•      Know self, own values, truth

•      Act in congruence with self, own values, truth

•      Meaning

•      Care about the bigger picture

•      Understand the bigger picture

•      Act in congruence with the bigger picture

•      Contribute to the bigger picture

•      Excellence

•      Virtue, morality, ethics – good behavior

•      Quality work, performance – good work

•      Growth

•      Self-realization – growth unique to the self

•      Learning – growth somewhat unique to the self

•      Maturity, wisdom, refinement – growth universal to all people

•       Hedonic orientationis prioritizing:

•      Pleasure / pleasant feelings

•      Comfort / absence of unpleasant feelings

 

Summaries of Empirical Findings With HEMA Scale

•      Experiences related to eudaimonic orientation: meaning, congruence, awareness; more cognitive

•      Experiences related to hedonic orientation: pleasantness, more affective/visceral

•      Some experiences related to both eudaimonic & hedonic orientations

•      Experiences related to hedonic orientation: stronger at state level than trait level, i.e., immediate gratification

•      Eudaimonic orientation related to heart rate variability: self-regulation/adaptability

•      Eudaimonic orientation: concern beyond the self

•      Hedonic orientation: concern beyond the self if easy

•      Hedonic orientation: double-edged sword, focus on experience rather than activity can be problematic

•      Eudaimonic orientation: broad concern beyond me, here, now, tangible

•      Hedonic orientation: narrow concern with me, here, now; fatalistic

•      Eudaimonic orientation: includes narrow concern, not just about self-sacrifice, i.e., eudaimonia = “hedonia plus”

•      Eudaimonic orientation: shaped by experiences, cognitively constructed

•      Hedonic orientation: probably more innate, based on temperament

•      Eudaimonic processes: “Cold systems” of forebrain – especially advanced in humans

•      Hedonic processes: “Hot systems” of mid/hindbrain – shared with other species

 

Degree of Distinctness Between Hedonia & Eudaimonia With Many Scales Used in Well-being Research

·     EFA of Trait Orientations: Clearly 2 factors, correlation low, so very distinct as orientations

·     EFA of Trait Behaviors: Somewhat clearly 2 factors, correlations low, so very distinct as behaviors

·     EFA of Trait Experiences: Most studies had 2 factors & some 1 factor, correlation high, so only subtly distinct at trait level as experiences

·     EFA of State Experiences: Studies showed 2 factors, correlation low, so very distinct at state level as experiences

·     EFA of Trait Functioning: One factor, correlation high, only 1 study; not likely very different as functioning

·     Elements of PWB that form distinct factor from SWB: Purpose, Growth, Autonomy

 
Professor Huta obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at McGill University. At the University of Ottawa, she teaches graduate and undergraduate statistics and the occasional course on positive psychology. Her research compares different ways of defining and pursuing the good life, e.g., eudaimonia (the pursuit of excellence, virtue, personal growth), and hedonia (the pursuit of pleasure, enjoyment, comfort). She studies these pursuits in relation to personal well-being (most notably meaning, feeling of elevation, and connection with oneself), the well-being of the surrounding world (pro-social, pro-community, and pro-environmental behavior), cognitive and physiological responses, and predictors (e.g., parenting styles, worldviews). She is a founder of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association, serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Happiness Studies, and co-organized the first cross-disciplinary conference on eudaimonia.